Unit 4 Terms

After Andrew Jackson failed to reach a majority vote in the election of 1824, the decision was sent to the house. Henry Clay hated Jackson and was able to get the House to vote for John Quincy Adams as President. JQA appointed Henry Clay to secretary of state. Adams presidency started off on a bad note because of this corrupt bargain and Jackson began campaigning the day Adams took office.

John C. Calhoun

Calhoun was an advocate of slavery, states rights, limited federal government, and nullification. He was Vice President for John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. He is often lumped together with Webster and Clay because they all impacted US government greatly. Secessionists looked up to John Calhoun for inspiration.

Kitchen Cabinet

The Kitchen Cabinet were Jackson's unofficial advisors to whom he held in very high regard. Due to the Peggy-Eaton affair, Jackson didn't have much trust in his own cabinet and relied on this group of trusted advisers. Some members on the kitchen cabinet were Blair, Taney, Kendall, Green, Eaton, and Van Buren.

Trail of Tears

The trail of tears was the forced removal of the Cherokee Indians in the 1830's. Under the Van Buren administration but Jackson's mandate to have Winfield Scott march the Indians to Oklahoma Territory. Many died on the trail and the ones who made it didn't have much to look forward to in Oklahoma on reservations where conditions were just as terrible.

Maysville Road Veto

In 1830, the Maysville road bill proposed building a road in Kentucky at the governments expense. Although internal improvements were very much supported by Adams and Clay, Jackson and Van Buren were very against it. So Jackson vetoed the bill because he was more in favor of the Cumberland Road, that would benefit the entire nation instead of one state.

Nicholas Biddle

Nicholas Biddle was the president of the second national bank. He was hated by Jackson who strongly opposed the national bank in favor of state banks. After Jackson didn't recharter the bill for the bank, Clay made it the prime issue in the 1832 election which Jackson won, ending the bank war. After election Jackson completely destroys the national bank.

Pet Banks

Since Jackson hated the national bank so much he instituted the Pet Banks. Pet banks were state banks to hold most of the national money. The banks however began to foreclose and led to the panic of 1837.

Force Bill

In 1833 the Force Bill authorized Jackson to use the army and navy to collect the duties on the tariff of 1828 and 1832. South Carolina was outraged and declared the tariffs null and void. Also known as part of the nullification crisis in which South Carolina threatened to secede from the Union.

Compromise Tariff of 1833

Henry Clay proposed the idea after the Tariff of Abominations. It was to appease the south especially South Carolina so they wouldn't secede from the Union. The tariffs would gradually be lowered to 1816 levels over a period of ten years.

Specie Circular

A proclamation made by Jackson in 1836. Only gold or silver could be used for the purchase of new land. Meant to calm over speculation in state banks and forced all banks to call in loans because of a lack of hard currency. Led to the Panic of 1837.

Samuel Slater

Samuel Slater is known as the father of the American Industrial Revolution. He secretly brought plans from England about new machinery and started the American Industrial Revolution. The textile industry was booming because we mechanized the spinning of yarn and cotton changing the American factory system forever.

Eli Whitney

Eli Whitney was another man very important in the American Industrial Revolution. He invented the cotton gin which removed cotton seeds at 5,000 times the rate previously bringing an increase in slaves. He is also responsible for interchangeable parts which leads to assembly lines.

Erie Canal

The erie canal is a man made canal that connects the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Brought a new mode of transportation other than roads which were much harder to take care of. It is responsible for linking the East and West with an increased flow of goods. Finally finished in 1825, New York City became most important port city in the US.

Transcendentalism

Transcendentalism is a philosophy during the 19th century reform movements. Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were significant transcendentalists. It is a branch of romanticism and encouraged people to rise above nature and the limitations of the body to the point where spirit dominates.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo Emerson was born in Boston and was a leader of the Transcendentalist Movement. He wrote Self-Reliance which stressed individualism, self-improvement, optimism, and freedom. Also known as the father of transcendentalism.

Henry David Thoreau

Henry David Thoreau was also a leading Transcendentalist. He supported the abolitionist movement as well. He was an author and poet and wrote "Walden" on simple living in natural surroundings. Thoreau believed in individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state, similar to social compact theory.

Hudson River School

The Hudson River School was founded by Thomas Cole and other American artists. It began in 1825 as the first american school of painting. They are famous for depicting natural landscapes instead of classical subjects. Developed after nationalism from the war of 1812. Expressed the romanticist phase along with the transcendentalist movement.

Second Great Awakening

A religious revival in the 1830's that inspired social reforms. Based on the arminian theology of revival, repentance, and conversion. Goal was to reform society through good works. Some even believed in the second coming of Jesus. Very popular in the Burned Over District in New York.

Charles Finney

Charles Finney is known as the father of modern revival. He was also a leader in the 2nd great awakening. He was a popular christian and abolitionist and joined the temperance movement as well. He was a great speaker and is associated with the burned over district. He was also the president of Oberlin College.

Oneida Community

Utopian society in New York based on communal living. Founded by John Humphrey Noyes in 1848. Survived only 30 years because of solid economic foundation and today they are known for their silverware. Believed in complex marriage and in the beginning John Noyes was the only man who could father children.

Dorothea Dix

Dorothea Dix was a woman associated with various reform movements but especially asylum reform. She believed that there should be better treatment for the handicapped and the mentally ill.She also lobbyed for better prison system and debtors reform.

Horace Mann

Horace Mann is known as the father of American Education. He was pivotal in the education reforms of the 19th century. He was an advocate for "normal" schools (public) in Massachusetts. He also wanted compulsory attendance for all children, wanted the common man to be more educated.

Nativism

Nativism was comprised of anti immigrant sentiment. Many were prejudiced against foreign born people. Arose in the 1840's and 1850's after an influx of Irish and German Catholics came to the United States.

Seneca Falls Convention

A women's rights convention that was held in 1848. Women were becoming more involved in the reform era. Sprung from temperance and abolition movement and later would push for women's rights. Organized by Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was the view that the US had the godly right to expand across the nation all the way to the Pacific. It was a justification for many land acquisitions. The phrase was coined by John O'Sullivan. It was the US's duty to spread democracy. Supported greatly by President Polk as he ran on it during his campaign.